New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-18

i
"Ohi by-the-bye. forgot he answered
promptly "Tim's sckening for the measles,
they think, so mother thought he had better
| not 60 home; but they won y Keep III" ae o,.
Blazer's,n he continued as he hung h'mseI'
cheerily into armchair In the sIo',ng ~"
| wrote that she was sure you wouldn't m'nd IL
| he came straight to you, but was 10 ask you'
/ don't yoi know" ,,-.,
Here burst out laughing, and Bobby looked
critically but approvingly at me, with both
hands on his knees.
IL say. Aunt Hannah" he blurted ont. I'm
never sure about you. Sometimes 1 think you
are seventy, and sometimes you look seventeen
that's what you look now. don't believe you re
half as old -maidish the girls think you"
"Ihank you, Bobby" said. kissing his jolly
fat cheek II don't feel like seventy yet, and
what q dear oil boy you will he when am!
But now about Tim. l was going to have a
rarty tonight, and measles won't do well with
| that"
But il had to do, inasmuch as there no
time to put off anybody and "thc party got as
| far as my closed front door, where they were
met by an afablc policeman, on duty Tor the
purpose at five shillngs for the JOB, who informed
them with bated breath that there was him.
lection in the ouse," and the grinding wheels
were all that heard of my guests for long
| while afterwards
One Of them, wishing to combine kindness ana
caution, sent me q note Of enquiry
"Dear Hannah-How is your nephew? but
please. dear, don't send an answer
| lin was a dear fellow and did not catch the
| measles. He too was complimentary and encour-
aging about my age and infrmtics, and went so
far as to wonder il hadn't been rather pretty
| when 1 was young.
| That night as Ailsie was brushing my retellious
locks, 1 ventured on tmid inquiry. "Ailsie,
| dear" l said in wheedling accents, was l ever
at all nice looking when was young?"
| "When Won was what my dcarie ?n
Young, Alsie-young."
"Wel' answered the dear old thing, posing
the brush in the air, It's so long ago, you see,
Miss Hannah; you can't expect Inc to throw
my mem'ry back so far
"Ah, don't tease me, Ailse; 1 really want
| to know" pleaded.
well, then, my DEAR you was. and what's
more, you are and that's the gospel truth. and
| manys the one that thinks Sesame as me-"
| Why should / care? and yet did. 1t was not
because l was too ugly then, that Mike had
| escaped from me. Other people had at times
talked nonsense to me, when my heart had been
too weary to take much heed, and my sister-in-
| law had chidden me for not responding when
| the takers had been eligible. All that seemed
| long ages ago, and now L was solitary and
moderately rich woman with a house Of my
| own, and a parrot and terrier; and / could be
and was Of use to many Of my family, whose
unfailng motto was as of old" she won't mind :"
and one guessed that l glad l was not
| ugly. Had they been asked what my opinion
might have been on the subject they would have,
as usual, believed me indifferent. Ii / passed
as a good creature there were but few steps
to 60 to arrive at the fool, maybe. Tins good
opinion chcered me wonderfully, and l saw him
start for home with thorough regret
| few days later, the sweeps being in possession
| of the drawing-roOm, q telegram came announcing
the arrival Of one OF my nleces for violin lesson
in my house. "if did not mindr Hurriedly /
| Rod Tho ,tiapn Oh opIn Cd
into my little front snuggery; and just II
was put into place by the awkward but willing
| helpers had caught at few moments notice.
my niece arrived and with her came graceful,
lad, like girl. whose looks attracted me greatly.
| Ruth, this is Aunt Hannah" said my niece.
You didn't mind, did you Aunt Hannah we
thought you would not: and Ruth plays my
accompanmcnts SO well. We always play together
nown
| had been long away from the old home
that l had fallen out Of the knowledge OF the
young pco les friends; but from Ruths looks, was
glad she should be one Of them, whoever she
might be.
| The violin master came, and the lesson gave
me intense pleasure. Ruths accompaniment was
perfect; and as the violin being carefully
wiped and restored TO its case, / begged her TO
| play neutrality-suspicious. she
loved observation-disclosures for choice IL she would"
One after another she played my Oest loved old
friends. and | turned impatcnty when the
foo:inan opened the door and said, "A gentleman
had called for the young lady with Miss Grey"
| My uncle" said Ruth. apologetcaly.
| pray ask him TO come in" / said and the
next moment Mike stood once more before me.
He bowed little shyly, and l with my back to
the window, stood spellbound and silent
Yes. it MilSe-huge, winsome Mike; and
/ must greet him as best might.
"Mr. VIVIAN" 1 faltered, III had no idea il
was you"
Two huge strides brought him TO my side.
Hannah" he shouted, Miss Grcyl Why I
was sent to Miss Sinclar'sl Have l come 10
| the wrong house?
The young people few TO Kim open mOutbed
| about this wonderful thing, and Chartered, merci
cifully for me, till had recovered my balance a
| little.
| From time TO time felt his eye upon me, and
| grew q trife hot and angry under it. Why
| should he look at me now in that way? He
had been married for years. and well I had
settled into my old maid ways-and had got
over it," as the saying goes.
| AS If we ever lost the marks of that which
| once had been"
| As they all trooped out together, he turned
back at the door, and graspng my hand tightly
said, why did you say not at home nine
long years ago?"
II didn u" I exclaimed, Indignantly, in n
stined voice. "you came"
! Didn't ?" he answered. and then he was gone.
| That night silent not at all Backwards and
| forwards that refrain rang in my ears Didn't
II" Didn't ~" Oh Mike, oh, faithful hearted
Mike, have been wronging you all these years?
Did you come, did oup-and never knew it
and now 1t is too late.
Does she love you, / wonder. as I dd-as ]
do, God help me, / must live it down and crush
it under foot, but for this one night will allow
myself the joy of knowing that he did come
he did come; the rest cannot even guess at.
Happy, miserable, restless and yet soothcd
came down next morning and found could settle
down to nothing in the way Of business. The
piano stood where 1t had been placed the dav be-
fore for the girls, and after many vain efforts
TO attend properly to writing which ought TO have
been done, wandered up to it and sat me down
lstessly, trying 10 pick up the thread OF all that
child's sympathetic fingers had done such full
justice to; and as played my heart grew lighter,
and by degrees my Mendclssohns modulatcd of
| into lighter music. and / found myself beating
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